The present invention relates to a method of control, and more particularly, to a method of real time control of a plurality of power output apparatus for providing a demanded quantity of desired output power at optimal cost versus the fuels used, the fuel including waste fuels.
There is a type of boiler used for the generation of steam called a "hog fuel boiler" which burns items for fuel such as bark, peanut shells, and sometimes used in conjunction with gas or other common fuels to insure that the total fuel mixtures burns better. Oftentimes however, plants have bark stored in storage yards, and a steady influx of bark to the plant. Also bark is being drawn from the stock pile and fed into the furnaces of the boilers.
Presently, the bark is being burned at a predetermined rate, using gas to make up the difference of fuel required to maintain a predetermined steam load.
Generally, it is known what the steam demand is going to be over a period of time (e.g., through the day) or is readily predictable. There is provided by the present invention a method for optimizing cost versus the amount of fuel used over a period of time based on expected steam demand, given that a predetermined amount of bark (i.e., waste fuel) is desired to be burned over the time period.
Thus there is provided by the present invention a method for determining the allocation of waste fuel (bark) supplied to the boilers for predetermined time intervals over the total time period.